Movement

Learn essential movement techniques in Helldivers II, including running, diving, crawling, and advanced maneuvers to outwit enemies and survive the battlefield.

Controls and movement in Helldivers II are straightforward. Your speed is affected by terrain: you move slowly on snow and even slower in water. On dry ground, your normal running pace can outrun many enemies. Be aware that some enemies will try to cut you off if you attempt to run past them while they are focused on you. If you need to pass through weak enemies without engaging, using melee attacks is more efficient, as small bugs and weaker Cyborgs die in one hit, especially with a bayonet. When facing large enemies you wish to avoid, it's best to move away at an angle rather than trying to loop around them.

Pushing the right stick while moving allows you to walk slowly in the direction of the left stick while aiming or firing in the direction of the right stick, which slightly nudges the screen. Some heavy weapons will immobilize you while firing until upgraded. Submachine guns allow for faster movement. Avoid the common beginner mistake of walking slowly towards enemies while attacking; instead, use the right stick to aim.

To sprint, press L3 while moving. Sprinting stops or is broken by shooting, and you will eventually return to normal speed as your Helldiver tires. Taking cover is done by pressing Square, which initiates a forward dive into a prone state. While prone, you crawl slowly, cannot attack or call stratagems, are less visible to patrols, and gain protection from direct fire (allowing teammates to shoot over you) and reduced damage from explosions. Melee attacks still inflict damage. DLC backpack drones continue to function, and a jump pack can replace the dive with a rocket jump.

If critically wounded, you will be knocked down and begin to bleed out. You can crawl slowly and mash X to get back up, though the MD-99 autoinjector perk significantly speeds this up. Direct fire will pass over you while downed. A teammate can revive you much faster than you can recover independently. It's crucial to note that while voluntarily prone, you cannot attack. However, if downed (indicated by blood spurting and a groaning sound with an X prompt), you can still fire and reload a one-handed weapon or throw grenades. Most importantly, you can call in stratagems while downed. If you are the last survivor and bleeding out, you can still call in the Reinforce stratagem to bring back your team as a final act, which is even tied to an achievement.